Can I grow more effectively?

Last year we decided that since we are now settled we would buy a dog and we looked for a puppy (see above photo). In fact, we brought both the puppy and his mother home! In the last 10 months Beau (the puppy) has grown so much that his mother looks to be half his size! Here he is now.
He grew in spite of us. All we had to do was feed him, exercise him, house him and love him and he just grew into who he is. In fact he is not done yet so who knows what he will become? The point is we all do the same. My question, however, is, “Can I grow more effectively?”
He is full of beans, excitable and wants to play. He loves company and can’t wait to greet them. However in his enthusiasm he often gets carried away to the point of almost knocking them over. Does this make him bad? No. It makes him someone who is excited and has no awareness of his impact on others. We are in the process of training him to be a little less boisterous without breaking his spirit. However, he is both strong and stubborn!
Does any of this sound familiar? Are you growing emotionally without growing in awareness of how who you are affects others? Do you consistently learn without actually applying any of it to how you interact in your world? This is not about being controlled but about being aware. Do you add value or is there a price for others to pay? Will you stop and ask yourself how your growth can be directed and channeled into more effective ways that benefit others?
So far we have no broken bones and he eventually settles down. That will change for him. Then we will have a bundle of joy who loves everyone and doesn’t knock them over to show it. What about you?